...Congestive heart failure is defined as; “the heart does not pump as well as it should to meet the body’s oxygen demands.” (Congestive Heart Failure, John Hopkins Medicine) The heart has four chambers; two atria in the upper part of the heart, and two ventricles in the lower part of the heart. Ventricles transport blood to the organs and tissues. The atria receive blood after it circulates from the body. When another condition has damaged or weakened the heart, and the heart can’t maintain the normal demands of pumping blood to the rest of the body, heart failure occurs. The ventricles can become stiff and not fill properly in between beats. The ventricles can also stretch causing the heart to not be able to properly pump blood to the whole body. Increased heart rate usually occurs which is caused by increased sympathetic activity trying to maintain cardiac output. When the sympathetic stimulation is increased, it releases vasopressin (antidiuretic hormone), which then causes fluid retention in the kidneys. When this happens, one can have hypertension There...
Words: 1402 - Pages: 6
...1. John is exhibiting Cardiogenic Shock because of the given signs and symptoms with and because of patient history of extensive myocardial infarction. Signs and Symptoms Rationale Decreased level of consciousness due to decreased blood flow to the brain Pale because decrease of blood flow Sweating due to sympathetic compensatory response Cool peripherally due to reduction of cardiac output 2. Pathophysiology of Right-sided heart failure and left-sided heart failure. Right-ventricular failure Right-sided heart failure means that the right side of the heart is not pumping blood to the lungs as well as normal. This usually occurs as a result of left-sided heart failure. When the left side of your heart fails, the pressure increases in the...
Words: 981 - Pages: 4
...Congestive Heart Failure FC IV Valvular Heart Disease Secondary to Rheumatic Heart Disease A case Presentation A Presented to: The Faculty College of Nursing Adventist University of the Philippines In Partial fulfillment Of the Course N303 Curative and Rehabilitative Nursing Care 1st Semester By: Tha Hnem Section F Presentation Date: September, 4, 2007 I. Introduction Heart failure, also called congestive heart failure (CHF), is a life-threatening condition in which the heart can no longer pump enough blood to the rest of the body. Heart failure is almost always a chronic, long-term condition, although it can sometimes develop suddenly. Rheumatic fever and Valvular Heart Disease also contributed to Heart Failure. This condition may affect the right side, the left side, or both sides of the heart. Rheumatic heart disease refers to the cardiac manifestations of rheumatic fever, including pancarditis (myocarditis, pericarditis, and endocarditis) during the early acute phase and chronic valvular disease later. Long-term antibiotic therapy can minimize recurrence of rheumatic fever, reducing the risk of permanent cardiac damage and eventual valvular deformity. In valvular heart disease, three types of mechanical disruption can occur; stenosis, or narrowing, of the valve opening: incomplete closure of the valve; or prolepses of the valve. They can result from such disorders as endocarditis (most common), congenital defects, and inflammation, and they...
Words: 6549 - Pages: 27
...Study 3 Unit 5 and Unit 6 AO is an 89-year-old woman with a long history of systolic heart failure secondary to a large left ventricular infarct when she was in her 70s. She had poor activity tolerance and required assistance with activities of daily living. Even minimal activity was associated with moderately severe dyspnea and exertional chest pain, which was relieved by rest. AO also exhibited marked pedal edema bilaterally. She is being treated with digitalis, furosemide (Lasix), KCl, (potassium chloride) and sublingual nitroglycerin. Discussion Questions 1. Which type of heart failure (left- or right-sided) is usually associated with dyspnea? What other clinical findings are likely to be present with left-sided heart failure? * The type of the heart failure that associated with dyspnea or difficult of breathing is the left-sided. The clinical findings that are more likely to be present in left-sided heart failure are pulmonary congestion, respiratory crackle (rale ), hypoxemia, high left atrial pressure, and acute cardiogenic pulmonary edema. 2. What compensatory mechanisms are likely to be operative in A.O. to enhance cardiac output? 3. What is the most likely cause of AO’s pedal edema? The most likely cause of AO’S pedal edema is heart failure specially the right side heart failure due left side heart failure which leads to much pressure to right side of heart. 4. What is the cause of AO’s exertional chest pain? What laboratory tests would be...
Words: 366 - Pages: 2
...According to Heart Society of America, "Heart failure is a condition that affects nearly five million Americans of all ages and is responsible for more hospitalization than all forms of cancer combined. Over 400,000 new cases of heart failure will be diagnosed in the next year. Yet many people with heart failure are not aware they have it because some of the most common symptoms of heart failure, such as feeling tired and short of breath, are often mistaken for normal signs of getting older" (2001). Heart failure develops following injury to the heart such as the damage caused by a heart attack, obesity, high cholesterol, advancing age, long-term high blood pressure, Diabetes, Enlargement of the heart, family history of enlarged heart, prolonged alcohol or drug addiction, and damage to the heart valves or history of a heart murmur (Heart failure Society of America, 2002). Heart failure does not mean that the heart suddenly stopped working or that you are about to die. Heart failure is a common condition that usually develops slowly as the heart muscle weakens and needs to work harder to keep blood flowing through the body. The heart pumps oxygen and nutrients to the body's tissues and organs. The heart consists of four chambers, the right and left atria and the right and left ventricles. Blood from the body enters the heart through the right atrium to the right ventricle, which brings blood to the lungs. It is here that carbon dioxide is removed from the blood...
Words: 428 - Pages: 2
...2 A.O. is an 89-year-old woman with a long history of systolic heart failure secondary to a large left ventricular infarct when she was in her 70s. She had poor activity tolerance and required assistance with activities of daily living. Even minimal activity was associated with moderately severe dyspnea and exertional chest pain, which was relieved by rest. A.O. also exhibited marked pedal edema bilaterally. She is being treated with digitalis, furosemide (Lasix), KCl, and sublingual nitroglycerin. Discussion Questions: 1. Which type of heart failure (left or right sided) is usually associated with dyspnea? What other clinical findings are likely to be present with left-sided heart failure? The type of heart failure usually associated with dyspnea is left-sided. Other clinical findings likely to be present with left-sided heart failure are cardiomegaly and pulmonary congestion such as orthopnea or basilar crackles. There would also be an increased heart rate and S3 heart sound while listening with a stethoscope. 2. What compensatory mechanisms are likely to be operative in A.O. to enhance cardiac output? The following compensatory mechanisms are likely to be operative to enhance cardiac output: myocardial hypertrophy due to prolonged stretch on the myocardium; baroreceptors will detect a low blood pressure and carbon monoxide levels, which would excite the sympathetic system due to an increased heart rate. During this mechanism the beta receptors will downregulate;...
Words: 472 - Pages: 2
...23: Alterations in Cardiovascular Function) A.O. was an 89-year-old woman with a long history of heart failure secondary to a large left ventricular infarct. She had poor activity tolerance and required assistance with activities of daily living. Even minimal activity was associated with moderately severe dyspnea and exertional chest pain, which was relieved by rest. A.O. also exhibited marked pedal edema bilaterally. She took digitalis, furosemide (Lasix), KCl, and sublingual nitroglycerin. Discussion Questions 1.Which type of heart failure (left or right sided) is usually associated with dyspnea? What other clinical findings are likely to be present with this type of heart failure? A.O. has left sided heart failure. Other clinical findings that present with left sided heart failure are pulmonary congestion and inadequate perfusion of the systemic circulation and symptoms include orthopnea, cough, fatigue and edema and decreased urine output. Pulmonary edema and S3 gallop (3rd heart sound) is present with the physical examination, as well as high or low blood pressure. An echo can show decreased cardiac output and a chest x-ray may show an enlarged heart (Huether & McCance, 2012). 2.What compensatory mechanisms are likely to be operative in A.O. to enhance cardiac output? The cardiac output is dependent on the heart rate and stroke volume. The factors that affect heart rate are the central nervous system, autonomic nervous system, neural reflexes, atrial receptors and...
Words: 995 - Pages: 4
...Congestive Heart Failure Congestive Heart Failure (CHF) is a condition where the heart doesn’t pump blood as well as it should. Sometimes CHF can be referred to as Heart Failure. Heart Failure becomes CHF when it hits the stage where there is fluid built up around the heart causing ineffective pumping of the heart. CHF eventually causes a backup of fluid and blood into the liver, abdomen, lungs, and lower body. All different types of people can develop CHF and there are different ways to go about treating it. The nursing care provided to a patient with CHF and the way the disease progresses is patient specific. Description of the Condition There are two common classifications of CHF, left-sided and right-sided. Left-sided CHF is more...
Words: 1566 - Pages: 7
...Heart disease encompasses a number of cardiac disorders, which collectively cause one third of all death in the United States. The normal functioning heart consistently pumps the oxygenated blood from the lungs to the left atrium of the heart by way of the pulmonary artery into the left ventricle where the oxygenated blood is pumped to the organs and body tissue. Deoxygenated blood then travels from the organs carrying carbon dioxide waste to the lungs for removal. The blood is then oxygenated as the carbon dioxide is released by the lungs and returns to the right atrium to then repeat the process (Kulick). A consistent blood flow, or heart rate ensures oxygen and nutrients reach the organs and body tissues at a speed which meets cell needs....
Words: 674 - Pages: 3
...Research Paper The human heart is a very vital, interesting, and complex organ. It continuously pumps blood through the body for the entire life. It’s made of muscle and is very strong and yet at the same time, can be very vulnerable to disease. The heart is a very important organ. What's so unusual about it is that it is that it never gets tired. There are four parts of the heart, right atrium, right ventricle, left atrium, and the left ventricle. Oxygen-poor blood flows from the body and to the right atrium. Blood flows through the right atrium and into the right ventricle. The right ventricle pumps blood to the lungs where the blood releases waste like carbon dioxide and picks up oxygen. The newly oxygen-rich blood returns to the heart and enters the left atrium. Then the blood flows through the left atrium and into the left ventricle. The left ventricle pumps the oxygen-rich blood to all parts of the body. The heart truly works in an amazing way by pumping blood through the circulatory system which is made up of blood vessels. Blood vessels are like bend-e straws except a stronger tube. Blood vessels carry blood to all the parts of the body. Blood carries fresh oxygen from the lungs and nutrients to the body’s tissues, it also takes the body’s waste products, including carbon dioxide away from the tissues. It’s necessary to sustain life and promote the health of all parts of the body. Arteries begin at the aorta, a large artery leaving the heart. Arteries carry oxygen-rich...
Words: 818 - Pages: 4
...Congestive Heart Failure Introduction Everyone loses pumping ability in their heart as they age. The serious case of heart failure develops when other health conditions cause the heart to work harder or become damaged due to increased stress. Heart failure is usually a chronic disease. It gradually tends to become worse. By the time someone is diagnosed with it, the heart has most likely begun to lose pumping capacity for quits some time. Nearly five million Americans are living with heart failure and 550,000 new cases are diagnosed each year. This paper will discuss what heart failure is, and what nursing interventions may be of help to patients who suffer from this disease. My grandmother was recently diagnosed with congestive heart failure. By interviewing her and performing a brief assessment, I hope to recognize a few nursing diagnoses and some interventions that may make her disease more bearable. Heart failure can involve the right side of the heart, the left side, or both. Heart failure usually affects the left side first. Each side of the heart is made up of two chambers the atrium and the ventricle. If either of these chambers loses their ability to keep up with the amount of blood flow then heart failure occurs. Custom writing service can write essays on Congestive Heart Failure Left - sided failure involves the left (lower) ventricle. The left ventricle pumps oxygenated blood to the rest of the body. This chamber is the largest and is...
Words: 1742 - Pages: 7
...Congestive heart failure * The inability of the heart to pump enough blood throughout the body (decreased cardiac output) to maintain well-being * Can be caused by a MI Pulmonary edema * A life threatening complication of left-sided congestive heart failure * When large amounts of fluid and blood accumulate in the lungs, causing the alveoli to fill up and air exchange to be nonexistent Heart failure * A syndrome that occurs from the progressive inability of heart to pump enough blood to meet body’s oxygen and nutrient needs * Causes are * Coronary artery disease * MI * Cardiomyopathy * Heart valve problems * Increased fluid Congestive heart Failure * Signs and symptoms * Fatigue, dyspnea, cardiac and respiratory rates increase, stess and anxiety Left sided heart failure * The result of the left ventricle muscle being damaged or its due to overloading * Blood backs up from the left ventricle into the LUNGS and fluid leads from the blood into the air spaces of the lungs * Hypertension the major cause behind left sided heart failure * Because hypertension causes increased pressure in the arteries causing the left ventricle to work harder * LEFT = LUNG * Signs and symptoms * Crackles * Tachycardia * Dyspnea * Tachypnea * **The patient may complain of having to be propped up in order to sleep at night ** Right sided...
Words: 926 - Pages: 4
...6, 2015 Alphanumeric Outline Left Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD) I What is a LVAD A. Basic LVAD info. B. Where LVAD goes II Who needs LVAD A. Who needs a LVAD B. Hearts health III The Surgery of a LVAD A. Steps of the surgery B. Recovery IV Life after LVAD A. What can you do B. What cant you do C. Heart Transplant List Left Ventricular Assist Devices “Left ventricular assist devices (LVAD) is a mechanical heart pump used to help a failing heart in patients with advanced heart failure” said MedicineNet.com. LVAD are lifesaving modules for patients who need a heart transplant that are waiting for a heart but their heart is not healthy enough to work on its own. LVAD is a key potential area of focus for researchers and various manufacturers at present. “Unlike a total artificial heart, the LVAD doesn't replace the heart; it just helps it do its job” according to MedicineNet.com. One of the heart pumps is called HeartMate II Left Ventricular Assist Device. It helps move blood through the body. A small motor inside the pump turns the motor that moves the blood. This pump is placed right below the heart and is implanted under your skin. One end of the LVAD connects to the left ventricle the heart’s main pumping chamber. The other side is connected to the Aorta the large blood vessel that sends blood through out the body. The LVAD helps your heart by pumping your blood so that your left ventricle doesn’t have to work. The...
Words: 1960 - Pages: 8
...Heart failure is the hearts inability to pump an adequate amount of blood thru the heart to maintain the bodies many other vital organs. Without a good blood circulation through the body, all of the bodies other organs are disrupted. Heart failure can affect the left side of the heart, the right side of the heart of both sides. It can be classified into two different categories, acute, meaning short-term or chronic, meaning ongoing. In acute heart failure, the symptoms appear rapidly but go away quickly, generally occurring after a heart attack or sometimes called Myocardial Infraction. Other times, symptoms are ongoing and do not dissipate over time, meaning it is chronic. About 5 million American have heart failure. Many of these American...
Words: 1219 - Pages: 5
...Congestive Heart Failure Armi Gonzales Western Governors University Congestive Heart Failure A. Investigated Disease Process Congestive Heart Failure is a condition in which the heart is unable to pump a sufficient amount of blood for the body to function. If the heart’s ability to pump blood decreases, blood and fluids may start to pool into the lungs and accumulate in the legs, ankles, and feet causing an edema, shortness of breath, and fatigue. (Heart Failure, 2015, para. 2) The American Heart Association and American College of Cardiology defines heart failure as “a complex clinical syndrome that can result from any structural or functional cardiac disorder that impairs the ability of the ventricles to fill with or eject blood” (King, Kingery, & Casey, 2012, p. 1). Heart failure can be seen as a widespread disease, affecting around five million Americans. (Titler et al. n.d.) It is a chronic condition that is disabling and costly and common to our aging population. With the advancement in therapy and early diagnosis, survival increases from previously fatal acute cardiac events to patients feeling better and living longer. Millions of Americans living with heart failure are 65 years of age or older. (Roger et al, 2004) A1. Pathophysiology The Circulatory system focuses on the heart, a muscular organ that pumps blood through a complex network of blood vessels throughout the body. Blood that is pumped from the heart carries oxygen and nutrients that fuel...
Words: 6554 - Pages: 27